Dadri On The Boil Again, As Family Of Accused In Lynching Case Refuse To Cremate Body

Villagers draped the coffin in tricolour.

Greater Noida, Oct 6 (PTI) — Bisada in Uttar Pradesh is on the boil once again as villagers today refused to cremate the body of 22-year-old Ravi Sisodia, accused in the Dadri lynching case.

Ravi, alias Robin, died at the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital in Delhi yesterday of kidney and respiratory failure. Villagers draped his coffin in tricolour, saying he had been martyred protecting "Hindu values".

Tensions rose as the body reached the village. The villagers outrightly rejected Ravi's death report, claiming he was murdered. Heavy police force was also deployed in the area.

Seeing the body draped in tricolour, policemen and administration officials, however, preferred to remain mum as objections might have sparked violence in the area.

"Villagers demanded Rs 1 crore for deceased's family, arrest of Akhlaq's brother, Jaan Mohammad, in a cow slaughter case and an FIR against the jailer. Villagers told administration that they will not cremate the body till their demands are met," said Sanjay Rana, BJP leader and father of one of the accused.

Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate NP Singh said state government would give its consent for a CBI probe if the deceased's family is not satisfied with the ongoing inquiry.

The DM said a judicial inquiry had been initiated, adding that the Chief Judicial Magistrate is conducting it.

Uttar Pradesh police claimed that Ravi was suffering from high fever and his death was suspected to be due to dengue. Ravi's brother, Vicky, however, claimed he was "assaulted by police in jail due to which he sustained injuries. Unlike, what police is saying, he was not suffering from any fever."

The state government had earlier said that the jailer of the prison where Ravi was held would be transferred once the probe found him guilty. But in an apparent attempt to pacify villagers, the jailer SK Pandey was transferred to the Lucknow headquarters.

The National Human Rights Commission has also issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and demanded reply from the district administration.

The postmortem was conducted yesterday in Delhi under the supervision of a Metropolitan Magistrate from a local court.